The present invention relates to communications networks such as cable television, satellite television and computer networks over which services are available for a fee. In particular, an apparatus and method are presented for allowing users of services such as pay television to obtain credits when viewing particular programs. The invention enables service providers to transmit credit information in the form of "digital coupons" to individual subscriber terminals to promote particular programs and reward viewer loyalty.
Cable and satellite television networks where video services are available for a fee are well known. Also well known are computer network services such as CompuServe, Prodigy, America Online, Knight-Ridder Information Service, and others where databases, banking and shopping services can be accessed and e-mail and the like can be communicated, all for a fee. In the past, some networks have provided services on a free trial basis. For example, during promotional periods lasting for one or two days, premium programming services such as movie or sports channels could be viewed by subscribers who normally would have to pay an additional charge to receive such programming. In most cases, this is done by placing the entire service into some sort of promotional scrambling mode where the programs are either not scrambled, i.e. in-the-clear, or use fixed keys which are known to all subscriber terminals. For example, in a broadcast environment, service providers do not know which existing customer or potential new customer is attempting to access a particular service. Even if feedback could be obtained, for example, using a telephone line or some upstream path, there would be too many transactions of customers tuning in and out of services for the service provider to usefully analyze.
Consequently, the service must usually be placed in a scrambling mode which allows free accessed by everyone, including potential new customers and even existing customers, or at least a large defined group. Moreover, an extended period of free service time is usually needed to effectively promote services since the different programs which are made available during the free preview will appeal to different interest, demographic, and age groups of viewers. For example, some viewers may prefer to see action movies while others prefer to see comedies. Thus, it is necessary to provide a wide variety of free programming over an extended period of time to effectively encourage viewers to subscribe to the premium programming services for an additional monthly charge.
During the free preview period, renewal and new subscriptions rates may be reduced to further motivate the customer since the customer may otherwise wait until after the free preview period is over to order new services which may, in turn, stress the call handling capability of the service provider's subscription center.
Additionally, various programs may be offered on an individual or a-la-carte pay-per-view (PPV) basis, where the subscriber pays a fee to view a single program. The customer may either call ahead to the subscription center to have a specific authorization or entitlement for a single program sent to the customer's terminal, or the customer can arrange to have a certain amount of monetary credit downloaded into the customer's terminal. With the selection of PPV program, the pre-stored credit amount in the terminal is reduced. Such PPV may be offered at fixed times or staggered times with so-called Near Video On Demand (NVOD). Also programs may be delivered essentially instantaneously with Video On Demand (VOD).
In VOD system systems, the program can be delivered on demand to a specific subscriber when that subscriber communicates a buy signal to a video server located at a cable television system headend. The buy signal may be communicated, for example, through an available upstream channel in a cable television network, or via a telephone line.
Various marketing techniques have been used to encourage subscribers to purchase pay-per-view programs. PPV usually are more profitable for the service provider than subscription services. These marketing techniques include providing the subscriber with a credit on his monthly statement when the subscriber purchases a predetermined number of PPV programs, or spends a predetermined amount of money on PPV programs. Or, the subscriber may be mailed a paper coupon which the subscriber can later mail back to the network billing department to obtain a discount after the subscriber has met the preconditions for redeeming the coupon. For example, the paper coupon may entitle the subscriber to a credit of one-half the price of a PPV program when one PPV program is purchased at the regular price.
While such marketing techniques can be effective, some subscribers may become accustomed to receiving paper coupons and other discounts on their monthly statements and may then resist paying higher fees when such discounts are not offered. In other words, they will only buy if they get a coupon. It would be desirable to reward the subscribers after they have met some predetermined conditions. Additionally, it is not easy to selectively target groups of subscribers or individual subscribers, without making the entire service free, or to monitor the effectiveness of such promotions. Moreover, the effectiveness of conventional promotions may be reduced because the realization of the discount by the subscriber is delayed, typically for a number of weeks due to delays in the billing cycle. Furthermore, paper coupons are difficult to organize and handle and are easily lost.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus for allowing selective targeting of promotions of programming services to particular subscribers or groups of subscribers without placing services in free mode, or using paper coupons. The system should allow subscribers to receive an immediate credit when a predetermined viewing pattern has been met. The system should reward subscriber loyalty and encourage subscribers to purchase additional programming services such as PPV programs and/or additional levels of service, such as premium programming services.
The system should also organize the credits in a way to allow the subscriber to take a quick inventory, and should inform the subscriber when a service is available through the promotion. The system should allow flexibility as to how the credits may be used, for example, in regard to the variety of shows, times, and dates the programming may be accessed.
Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide a system for monitoring the success of such promotions, gain feedback on subscriber viewing habits, and determine the viewership (e.g., audience size) of particular programs. The system should employ cryptographic techniques to thwart unauthorized persons (e.g., pirates) who attempt to tamper with the system for illicit gain.
The present invention provides a system having the above and other advantages.